


Anti-Energy

by Shea



Category: Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic
Genre: Almost Kiss, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Superheroes/Superpowers, Bad Flirting, M/M, Threats of Violence, fluff if you squint, sexual content in later chapters
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-27
Updated: 2017-04-30
Packaged: 2018-10-24 14:34:14
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,184
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10743669
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shea/pseuds/Shea
Summary: In a world of superheroes and villains, Spartos is trying to regain some familiarity in his life again. Funny how the one man not from this planet might actually provide some of that.





	1. "Shartos"

**Author's Note:**

> I love superheroes. Particularly Marvel. I've been on this Marvel kick for about a month and this came out. Sorry if their powers aren't exactly clear at this point, it will all be explained I promise!

Have you ever seen an entire building crumble into nothing but rubble? Or heard an entire city scream in terror? Or have the weight of practically the whole world’s safety on your shoulders? Or stared down the face of death itself, with its’ malicious grin and dark, evil eyes?

This is basically just the gist of Spartos’ life. As a man with “superhuman abilities” this was his birth-given duty when it was discovered what he could do. The first time he did it, he was eight years old. One minute, he was in the backyard, playing with the family dog. Then, in a vision drained of color, he watched his _own_ body slump over, presumably dead. The whole ordeal only lasted a few minutes, before he was in his own body again, viewing the world in his eyes again.

Now he’s able to keep this ability under control, and uses it for the greater good. Not alone, however. The “Seven Seas Alliance” was a band of people with odd abilities like his that helped protect the world. Unlike the others, however, he was new to the superhero career. He’d learned to keep it hidden, never use it. The others started out as their own hero in their respective cities.

Two weeks after joining, and leaving home, Spartos is just beginning to become used to it when there’s another newcomer. They’re called to the “conference room” to meet said newcomer, and Spartos is just a little nervous. “What do you think they’re like?” He asks Pisti, who’s been more or less his only real friend here.

“I haven’t met him, Spar. I have no idea.” She replies, smiling a little.

Spartos purses his lips a little. “As long as he’s not a jerk.” He mumbles, stopping in the conference room.

The others are all seated around the table, some standing up as he is. Sinbad, their unofficial “leader” is missing, but Spartos assumes he’s with the new person. That is, until he walks right through the door- alone. He’s got his trademark grin, though. Which never means anything good.

“Hey, team.” He says, taking a seat at the head of the table. “So, I’m sure you heard the news.”

“Not like you didn’t announce it over the speakers or anything.” Yamuraiha replies, leaning her cheek against a fist.

“Well, I had to get you all together. And after last time’s fake emergency angle...”

“So, where are they?” Pisti asks, obviously excited.

“Well, he likes to make an entrance.” Sinbad grins again and waves a hand.

As if on command (which it probably is), the wall beside Spartos seems to warp, making him gasp and jump away. Then there’s a physical being right there beside him. A man, about his age, with white hair and purple skin. Was it the oddest thing he’s seen? Not really. Did it still scare him that he just walked through that wall? Yes, it did.

“How’s it?” The new guy asks with a wave of his hand.

“Is that your ability? To walk through walls?” Yamuraiha asks.

“That, and a few others.” He shrugs a little. “I’m... not sure what you people call it, but I’m not made of the same things you are.”

Spartos arches a brow at him. “What do you mean?”

“Well, you are all made out of... eh, flesh? Blood, tissue, all that?”

Spartos nods slowly. “Yes...?”

“I, am not.”

“So… what happens if we cut you open?” Yamuraiha asks, which normally Spartos might chastise for, but honestly... he’s a little curious himself.

The newcomer chuckles a little awkwardly. “Well, I hope you won’t.”

“Anyway, this is Sharrkan. Hero name, undetermined.”

“Another undetermined.” Hinahoho pipes up, eyeballing Spartos who just purses his lips.

“Hey, not everyone needs one.” Sinbad replies, shrugging a little before his face lights up. “What if they become “partners”!” He spread his hands out in front of him. “’Spartos and Sharrkan’. Or, well... ‘The Double S’s’. Ooh! Or-“

“No.” Spartos shakes his hand in front of him, as well as his head. “No ‘partner nicknames’. I don’t even _need_ a ‘hero name’.”

“Sure you do. We all do!”

Spartos shakes his head again. “No. It’s fine. No one addresses me anyway and the only ones that _do_ , I prefer my name. It’s fine.”

Sharrkan holds up a finger, a thoughtful look on his face. “I like Shartos.” He says, nodding as though to confirm the thought.

“Aw, it’s like a couple name!” Pisti squeals, only adding to Spartos’ exasperation.

He’s about to protest again, before Sinbad stands up. “Well, we’ve all met Sharrkan. Let’s end it here, yeah? I know we’re all tired after yesterday’s scaffle.”

“In what universe does ‘scaffle’ translate to ‘destroy half a city’?” Ja’far mutters.

“Apparently ours.” Spartos replies underneath his breath as he turns away to go to his room.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Spartos is running down a long hallway that just never seems to end. _Have to hurry._ He thinks, trying to find a good spot. He finally finds a bench in the waiting room (apparently this was a hospital- who knew?) and sits down for a moment, sliding a pair of sunglasses on.

“Sin, do you have him?” He asks through the little microphone they all have.

“Yup, right in my sights.”

“Alright. I’m moving.”

He blinks, and then he’s in the sky, 70 feet in the air. Right ahead of him is their main target, the bad guy in all this. He blinks again and now he’s a couple yards away, staring at Sinbad. Glancing down, there’s some kind of staff in his hand. The purple light shining from it was probably the power behind all his chaos. _Should I.. break it?_ He wonders, conflicted for a moment.

 ** _Break it._** A voice demands in his head, and Spartos freaks out for a moment. **_Don’t freak, it’s only me._**

“How the hell are you inside my head?” Spartos stupidly says out loud.

He hears a chuckle inside his head, which is honestly just even creepier. **_You’re in the middle of all this mayhem and superpowers and_ that’s _your question?_**

Spartos sighs and then glances at the staff in “his” hand once again. “So I should just… break this, then?”

**_You know, the dark, rough voice doesn’t fit you very well._ **

Spartos groaned a little. “Sharrkan!”

**_I’m just saying. But yes, you should destroy it. It’s made from dark matter._ **

“Dark matter?” Spartos tilts his head a little.

**_Listen, you may ask me questions later. Now, we’re all kind of busting our asses here._ **

“O-Oh, right, yeah.” He nods and without a second thought snaps the staff over his knee. But there’s a gross feeling in his stomach. It can’t be... _that_ easy, right?

All of a sudden there’s a sharp pain in his brain and he gasps, squeezing his eyes shut. When he opens them again, he’s back in the hospital, being manhandled by what seemed like two of the bad guys. He groans, and tries taking them over but he just can’t. He’s about to get really panicked when as sudden as it started, it’s gone again.

He glances up and Sharrkan’s there, the bad guys gone. He blinks, and then stands up, removing the sunglasses from his eyes. “Uh, thank you.” He nods once.

Sharrkan nods once, glancing him over. “Are you alright-?”

“I’m fine, yes.” He nods. “How did you…?”

Sharrkan chuckles lightly. “In your mind, remember? I was able to locate the real you.”

“That _was_ the real me.”

“Well, your body, then.”

Spartos sighs lightly. “Well, thank you, anyway.”

Sharrkan nods again and holds out a hand to him. Spartos blinks. “What..?”

“Well, I imagine with the dark matter staff destroyed, all his contraptions will he shutting off, and we’ll have a lot of cleanup to do.”

“And…?” He glances at his hand.

“You don’t fly, do you?”

“Oh, no. No no. I don’t need you to carry me or anything. It’s fine.”

“Come on-“

“No. It’s okay, really. I-“

“Come on!” This time, Sharrkan doesn’t take any objections and he wraps an arm around Spartos’ middle. All Spartos can do is cling to his shoulders as he lifts them up and out of the building.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It’s three o’clock in the morning when Spartos is awoken by the nightmares again. Lately, it’s been just about every night. Visions of people screaming and running, the place is on fire, buildings are crumbling. The center of it, is him. He’s able to look at his “own” hands and realize this is all his fault; _he’s_ causing all this chaos. He blinks, again and again, but he can’t leave this body. Meaning this _is_ his body.

He wipes his eyes and gets out of bed, stretching out his arms a little bit. He pads out into the hallway and freezes when he reaches the community room. “Fuck, I didn’t think anyone was awake.”

Sharrkan glances up from the magazine he’s flipping through. “You curse?”

“…what?”

“Curse. Didn’t think you did it.”

“I do when I’m _surprised._ ” He pauses, considering. “Or angry.”

“Oh, angry? What does one have to do to really get you upset?”

Spartos shakes his head. “What’re you doing out here?”

“I’ve been here for three weeks, and you haven’t realized I don’t need to eat or sleep?”

Spartos blinks and takes a seat beside him. “You don’t?”

Sharrkan shakes his head, setting his magazine aside. “I’m offended you didn’t notice.”

Spartos scoffs. “Well, it’s not like I’m awake to notice you’re not sleeping. And I just.. don’t pay attention to people’s eating habits. I’m sorry.”

Sharrkan laughed a bit. “I’m not serious, it’s fine.” He waved it off.

Spartos nods a little bit, running a hand over his own leg. “So, uh… I’m sorry if I’m prying but I’d really like to know; where are you from?”

Sharrkan lets out an uneasy breath. “Well, uh.. That’s not exactly a straightforward answer…”

“What does that mean?”

He chuckles softly. “Well, it’s not… I’m not ‘from’ anywhere, like you are. You are from Earth, from America. From the Leoxses family.”

“So, you don’t even have… a family?”

Sharrkan shook his head a bit. “Nope. I am simply _here_. I simply… exist. I’m not sure how I found myself on this planet, or what I was like before that.” He laughs a bit. “Lame, right? You all have such… touching stories, and remember when you got your powers and stuff.”

“No,” Spartos shakes his head, absentmindedly touching his shoulder. “I mean, no, I don’t think it’s lame. You’re honestly like… one of the coolest ones here.”

“Yeah?” Sharrkan grins lightly.

Spartos nods some. “Yeah. You’ve got… all these cool abilities, and you’re- well you’re not from _this_ world, which is pretty unique. It’s much better than being able to steal someone’s mind, anyway.”

“Hey, I think that’s a cool ability, too.”

Spartos waves a hand. “It’s like a handicap too, though. If my body is attacked, I can’t use it. I have to hide somewhere, take someone else’s mind to get visionary of my intended target, and then switch again.”

Sharrkan’s brow furrows slightly. “But you don’t need to see the first person?”

Spartos shakes his head. “Not if I know them well enough. But strangers, yes. I have to see them first.” He waves his hand again. “ _You,_ however. Moving through physical objects, running so fast, you can practically _live_ under water.”

Sharrkan laughs and shrugs. “Just because I don’t have to breathe.”

Spartos clears his throat a little and tilts his head. “So, I’m curious…”

“You usually are.” Sharrkan chuckles, resting an arm on the back of the couch. “Shoot.”

“You don’t need to eat, or sleep, right?”

“Correct.”

“What about… _other_ human needs?”

“Like… the bathroom?”

Spartos shrugs. “Amongst… other things.”

Sharrkan pauses and then laughs a little. “Spartos, are you asking me into your bed~?”

“Wha-“ Spartos blinks and then flushes. “N-No! Of course not! I was just… asking about you- about- not _that_!”

“But you’re curious, yes~?”

Spartos made a disgusted noise and got up again, waving at him. “You’re insufferable. I’m going back to bed.”

“For the record, I can have sexual relations with you humans! Especially with you~”

Spartos groaned and went back to his bedroom, his face still flushed but a little smile on his face.


	2. Family

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sharrkan and Spartos grow a little closer before Spartos is suddenly thrown to see his family.

Sometimes Spartos liked to lay down on the couch in the community room and pretend he was somebody else for a few hours. Sometimes he _wished_ he could take someone’s mind and just wander around in their shoes for a while, his own body safe and okay so he didn’t have to worry. But he knew he couldn’t do that. As much as he was tempted to.

He sighs and sits up on the couch, rubbing his temples a little. Sharrkan pauses in the entryway to the community room, smiling a little. “Headache?”

“Just a bit.” Spartos shrugs it off, glancing at him. “What’re you doing? I thought you were going with Ja’far to, uh…”

“Ankara?”

“Yeah…”

“We did. We’re already back.” Sharrkan chuckles lightly, and then sighs as he sits beside Spartos. “It… didn’t end so well.”

“Oh? Did they…”

“We stopped them, yeah. But not before they were able to blow up two buildings.”

“Oh…” Spartos nods, frowning some. It was never easy for any of them when things like this happened. They fight to help and save the innocent, and half the time, some are killed in the process. Some like to call them “collateral damage”, claim that it would be so many more if they didn’t do anything. It never helps Spartos any. He worries for his family out there. Even his mother, who… well, was his _mother_.

“Sharrkan,” He speaks, glancing at him. “Why do you fight here, with us? I mean, you’re not from here, you have no personal ties to saving people here. Not that you’d go around killing them either. But I’m just… curious.”

“Honestly?” Sharrkan shrugs. “At first, it was because I didn’t have anything better to do. I’d learned pretty quickly that people didn’t like my… look. I wasn’t going to fit in out there. And then Sinbad found me, and talked to me about this Alliance and stuff.” He shrugs again and motions to the room. “And here we are~”

Spartos nods as he listens and then tilts his head a little. “’At first’?”

Sharrkan chuckles. “Well, now that I’ve been here for close to a month, I feel like I’ve become closer to all of you. Now I fight to protect the world that you all love.”

Spartos blinks at that. “That’s more… romantic than I thought you were capable of.”

“Really-? What did you think I’d say?”

“I’m… not really sure, actually. Just not that.”

“Ah, what can I say?” Sharrkan grins and shrugs again. “I’m a hopeless romantic at heart.”

Spartos just rolls his eyes.

“So, what about you? I mean, I know you have family but you never really talk about them.”

Spartos blinks and just shrugs. “There’s… not much to tell, honestly.”

“Tell me everything. What’re your parents like? Any siblings? I’m curious.”

Spartos blinks again, a little surprised at his eagerness. “Well, uh… I have two brothers. An older one and a younger one. I don’t remember my younger brother too well, actually. He, uh, he and my mother left after we kind of discovered my ‘powers’.”

“Really? Just, up and left because you have a special ability?”

Spartos nods. “I don’t remember it too well. I remember switching with our dog. My parents thought I had died, because my body was, you know, inactive. And then the next moment I was just _back_ like nothing ever happened. My parents argued for what seemed like _weeks_ about it, until my mom and younger brother left.” Spartos shrugs a little. “That’s… all I remember about that. My father never really looked at me the same way, but my other brother was fine with it. I think.”

Sharrkan chuckles softly. “That’s all, huh?” He nods a little bit and gently rests a hand on his shoulder. “I’m sorry your mom ran out on you.”

Spartos shrugs a little bit. “It’s fine. I wasn’t… _too_ affected by it, honestly. I thought it was better for her, and my brother, to be away. I… was scaring them.”

“For what it’s worth, I think they’d be sorry for leaving if they could see you now.” He gently rubs his shoulder with his thumb.

Spartos scoffs. “Oh, yes. Fraternizing with an alien man, as well as a whole band of people with freaky abilities.”

“Not to mention saving the world and fighting bad guys all the time.” Sharrkan grins.

“Not much of a ‘fight’ if all I do is take control of their body.”

“You could always punch yourself in the face while in their body.”

That earns a genuine laugh from Spartos, which makes Sharrkan laugh as well, his eyes softening a little. “You have a nice laugh.”

Spartos flushes and scratches his cheek a little. “Thanks…”

Sharrkan nods some, giving his shoulder a little squeeze. “Of course.” He grins and winks a little. “Y’know us superheroes can relax and have our own fun sometimes.”

“I’m not sure where you’re going with that but it better not be sexual.” Spartos replies, giving him a curt smile.

Sharrkan snaps his fingers. “Shut down.”

Spartos scoffs and gets up. “I have some work I should go do. I’ll see you later, Sharrkan.”

Sharrkan grins some as he watches him leave.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Spartos never knows what to do with himself when he has nothing to do. With nothing to work on, no bad guys to stop, he more or less has a day off. Not that is wasn’t a frequent thing. He usually spends these days in the gym for a few hours, or catching up on lost sleep. Never has he ever gone back to his hometown after joining the Alliance. Not until he’s being insisted upon by his friends.

“Your family misses you.” Pisti presses, peeking at him from over his book.

“And friends. Surely, you made friends in school and such.” Sinbad adds, grinning at him.

Spartos sighs, putting his book down to look at them, as well as Yamuraiha, Sharrkan, and Masrur- all five vs himself. “I do not wish to go home. Or visit. I left that life behind for a _reason._ ”

“They must be worried sick though.” Yamuraiha points out, crossing her arms in front of her. “And at least you have people to return to… People to fight for.”

Suddenly Spartos almost feels bad. Half of these people here had lost their family one way or the other. He still has his father and brother at least, but refuses to see them. Has more than most of them. Still, he shakes his head, waving his hands a little bit. “Clearly, you’ve never met my father. And I just… I _can’t_ , okay? When I was found out they came to my _house._ They _threatened_ to harm my brother and father. They said they knew where my mother was. They knew… They knew everyone that was important to me.”

Sinbad sighs and rolls his eyes a little. “Spartos, we _took care of them,_ remember? When we recruited you? Nothing to worry about!”

“I just… I don’t want to put them in any danger…” Spartos says quietly. “Besides, it’s been a few weeks. I’m sure they’ve healed from whatever trauma those guys gave them.”

“Spartos-“ Pisti whines.

“Look, I’ll go with you.” Sharrkan speaks up. “That way, if anyone shows up, or something bad happens, you won’t be on your own.”

Spartos sighs for the umpteenth time. But it seems like they won’t let this go… “Fine.” He mutters, though he has a bad feeling in his stomach. “I’ll go. If it makes _you_ all sleep better.”

Sinbad smiles and pats his head. “Thank you for your _brave_ sacrifice, Spartos.” He chuckles before he dons a more serious look. “Honestly, it’ll be good for you. Seeing them, knowing they’re all okay.”

Spartos waves a hand. “Yeah, okay.” He glances at Sharrkan as he stands up. “Are you coming?”

“We’re going now?”

“Might as well get it over with.”

Sharrkan nods some and gets up as well. “Alright then. Let’s go~”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Spartos sighs as he approaches the house. It’s been weeks, as he said. But it was so familiar to him… the house he grew up in… It was like he never left. He takes a few seconds to really take it all in, and Sharrkan lets him, before knocking on the door a few times.

“So, I get to meet the man that created my best friend~” Sharrkan grins and Spartos makes a face.

“I would’ve figured Masrur or Yamuraiha your best friend. And _please,_ do not refer to my father as ‘the man who created me’. That’s just… weird.”

Before Sharrkan can say anything, the door swings open and Spartos’ stomach clenches. His brother blinks before breaking out into a large smile. “Spartos? It’s… really you? My baby brother!” He laughs and immediately wraps him in a hug, much to Spartos’ embarrassment.

“Yes, it’s me, Mystras…”

“I thought… You’d just left… I never expected-“

“I know, I know. I’m sorry.” Spartos rests his hands on his shoulders. “I didn’t want to endanger you again.”

“Ah, I’ll take ‘em down~” Mystras grins again before he glances at Sharrkan. “Who’s this? Don’t tell me this is your new boyfriend. Already?”

Spartos flushes and chokes on his own saliva. “N-No! He’s… No. Not my boyfriend. Just a _friend,_ I happen to _work_ with.”

“ _New_ boyfriend?” Sharrkan wonders aloud, cocking a brow at Spartos before grinning politely at Mystras. “Hey, man. Sharrkan.”

“Mystras.” He nods once, shaking Sharrkan’s hand before motioning to the door. “Come on inside, guys. I want to know what it’s like being superheroes. I wanna know _your_ powers,” He motions to Sharrkan. “And I want just… _everything._ ”

Sharrkan grins as he steps inside, Mystras following behind. Spartos sighs and shakes his head as he goes inside as well.

Just as they reach the dining room, Spartos’ father enters the room with a newspaper in hand. “Who was at the door?” He asks with disinterest in his voice, his eyes glued to the paper.

Mystras just gives Spartos a look, and he sighs once again. “Hey there… Dad.”

Darius pauses and glances up with a look Spartos has only ever seen on his face once; surprise. Darius Leoxses was very rarely ever _surprised._ Spartos smiles awkwardly.

“Spartos…” Darius speaks softly. “You’re here.”

His son nods a little bit and then shrugs a shoulder. “I figured I should… let you know I was alive. See if you were doing okay.”

“We know you’re alive.” Darius replies as though Spartos shouldn’t be concerned about that. He tosses the paper down in front of them. The headline, in big, bold letters, practically screams “SSA At It Again: The Super Humans vs Mutant Aliens”. Underneath it, a picture of Sinbad standing beside the defeated mastermind. The rest of the Alliance were somewhere in the background, of course. Spartos only frowns a little and pushes the paper away. He’s read enough articles to know that he’s never mentioned. Whether the general public even knows he exists is up in the air. Half of him appreciates it, the other half wishes he could get _some_ recognition.

“Well, yes. I am alive.”

“And this is…?” He motions to Sharrkan.

“This is my friend, Sharrkan. He is also a part of the Alliance.”

“And he is… purple.”

“And he is right here.” Sharrkan points out, waving a hand from emphasis. “I am Sharrkan. I am _not_ from this world. My skin _is_ purple. And I am very much friends with your son. Hopefully both of them.” He grins and shares a fist bump with Mystras.

“Where are you from then?”

“Well, I, uh… I hope to find out someday.”

Darius just glances him over, switches to look at Spartos and then back again. “I see. And the rest of the Alliance..?”

“They’re back at HQ.” Sharrkan answers. “Figured you didn’t want a whole band of superfreaks storming your home.” He shrugs carelessly and Spartos gives him a warning look that more or less said ‘shut the hell up please’.

“Well, please come by more often.” Mystras requests, ruffling Spartos’ hair. “I miss my little brother.”

Spartos huffs lightly and fixes his hair once more. “I don’t know… I can’t tell-“

“And you should go see _him,_ too. I know you guys broke up and all, but-“

“Mystras, please.” Spartos snaps. “Do not.”

Sharrkan glances between the two brothers, his brow furrowed, but stays silent. Spartos sighs, and Mystras just studies his face. There’s clearly some more history Spartos hasn’t shared, not that Sharrkan will push if he doesn’t wish to tell, but he can’t deny he’s… curious now. He glances at the paper, at his father, his brother, and then at Spartos again and arches a brow in honest curiosity. _Just what kind of secrets is Spartos hiding?_

**Author's Note:**

> I honestly should stop trying to write four multiple-chapter stories at once but I can't help it.


End file.
